I agree about the importance of a keyboard. I’ve either looked for that being discussed in online reviews or tried the keyboard in store. I took the OP as meaning she was planning on using an external keyboard and mouse so I didn’t comment on that. But, Mary2e, if you aren’t planning on using an external keyboard and mouse, definitely check that aspect out before you buy. I know my wife uses an external physical keyboard with great key travel and a clickity feel.

Refurb "business" laptops are where it's at. Lots of big businesses, government departments, etc. either lease laptops for 2-3 years or buy them but surplus them as soon as the warranty is up. There's a massive supply of 2-5 year old business laptops out there and now that the 'rona is mostly in the rearview mirror, supply is outstripping demand again.

Unless you need a really small or really large laptop, the big surplus/refurb sellers on eBay or Amazon are easily the best deal out there. For the price of a Chromebook, you get a perfectly good laptop with real specs that most casual users won't outgrow for 5+ years (as long as you either buy one with an SSD or upgrade it the second you get it home).

The name is dead, but the concept of a cheap, low-end machine intended for web browsing is quite alive--most of that market is filled by Chromebooks now, but if you hate yourself you can still buy machines with Chromebook-level hardware that run Windows from all the big manufacturers. Those are basically the same thing as netbooks were.

I agree that Chromebooks largely took that market niche. But now the machines are a little heavier than a netbook (at least the one I had) but with a lot more screen size.

I think this thread reflects the old saying, "horses for courses." The OP is replacing a 7-year-old desktop with a laptop that she then expects to use like a desktop. If mobility were more of an issue, I'd happily recommend a smaller, netbook-like computer (yes, they're still out there--for personal trips, I use an Asus with an 11.6" screen that weighs about 2.3 pounds and easily runs the type of office programs the OP said that she uses) that weighs little, packs light, and, more importantly, will easily fit on an economy class tray table.

Mobility, other than the initial move, is not an issue here, however, and would make me lean towards getting a moderately-priced laptop with decent specs with the largest screen/keyboard. And given that the packing issue is for a one-time transport with a short period of use until the OP's stuff arrives and can be addressed by a laptop that is smaller than her old desktop and monitor, almost any laptop today will accomplish the OP's goal without much of a size or weight disadvantage. I'm sure there are military-grade laptops out there that might weigh more than 6-7 pounds, but unlike 10-15 years ago, a bigger laptop and screen may not add much weight to the total package.

I like the Costco idea because you can test out the computer before you buy, and they have a great return policy. I also like the recommendation for a refurb business computer because it sounds as if the OP does not require cutting edge technology. I'd only add one more suggestion: is there a real need to buy the laptop before the move? If you need the machine when you hit the ground or if you're moving to an area with few retail options, then I guess you need to buy before, but if you can even go four or five days after arrival without a computer and you have the opportunity to do a bit of shopping, I'd consider waiting so that you don't have to haul the laptop with you.

On a side note, I did look at what our local Costco had before buying through Dell again (and they always provide quick turnaround, my laptop arrived this morning so two business days after ordering) and they had several HPs and Macs and I think an Asus in the non-touchscreen laptops, so pretty limited selection as far as being able physically look at layout and the Costco online options weren't a better deal than directly through Dell with their sale going on.

I've never been to a US Costco, but the Canadian ones often don't have much on display. Maybe 10 or so laptops? Bestbuy (here) would have a bigger selection. You don't necessarily have to buy from them, but allows you to do some research. And you guys do have MicroCenters...

We talk'in something like Alienware?

Yes and no. Alienware does do gaming laptops (core business), but depending on the model, I find them generally heavier than necessary. Some Asus ones are like that too. Same for MSI. I can usually get away with thinner or lighter models... I've been trying to offload to a mini pc that I can carry around.

I will be using a keyboard and mouse the majority of time, but will use the laptop's keyboard until we are settled, so I will have to try them out.

Thank you. Yes, I will need to use it until we are settled. Our financial life is in Quicken and that runs off the hard drive. From what I have read, the cloud version is buggy and I don't want to take the chance of it not working or losing stuff.

That was quick: ordered on Friday, delivered on Sunday.

Definitely a refurbished unit, as there is a long, light scratch on the lid. No worries since Miss Swede will cover it in stickers soon enough. After doing a bunch of Windows and BIOS updates, it seems to be in good shape, and the battery is giving about 7.5 hours unplugged with light usage. It's very well built and light. Miss Swede is happy. I'm going to let her use it for school for the next two weeks to see if any other issues pop up so I can return it if necessary.

I'm a huge fan of Toshiba laptops, although they are too expensive for casual use. Except for one Lenovo ThinkPad before my current laptop, I've had only Toshibas since the dawn of laptops. The keyboard is what sold me on them; it has the best feel--for me, at least. The Lenovo is a close second. I've used every Toshiba for years past life expectancy, buying a new one only when I had to upgrade the OS and the hardware couldn't handle it. I bought the current one from CDW 5 years ago and had the option to configure it to my specs.

Why the specificity of an i5 or better? I'm also in the market for a low end laptop for light use while away from the desktop I built and am considering a machine that has an i3. Is Windows that much of a resource hog now that it requires an i5 to run well on non-resource intensive tasks?

It really depends on what you're doing. I have a few I3 systems of varying kinds. For general surfing and productivity, it's fine (well, assuming you don't have something like 20 tabs open and active). You might want to do some optimizing, but for most people, it's fine. If I recommend an I5 or higher (or R5 or higher) it is usually to partially futureproof the computer or in anticipation of the person running the computer harder (eg, if they are buying now with them taking a database admin course in a few months). Sure the other things will benefit from the additional horsepower, but for most, it's part of the laws of diminishing returns.